Muscular exoskeleton turns you into a walking piece of construction equipment

Have you ever dreamt of being a superhero? No? Well then stop reading. For the rest of us normal people, the fantasy of having super-human abilities is now one step closer to reality thanks to students at Japan's Tokyo University of Science. A team of engineers there has created a cybernetic suit designed to augment normal human abilities and make lifting heavy objects a cinch.

Its creators claim the prototype's unique design — which utilizes "muscles" filled with compressed air rather than mechanical motors — offers a power-to-weight ratio that is 400 times that of current wearable models. On top of that, the suit also responds to voice commands to control its movements, which will come in handy for anyone using the suit for medical reasons — like recovering from a muscle injury.

The technology is still being perfected, though the team believes the final product is just around the corner. The suit is expected to be made available to rent for around $185 per month, but Japanese health insurance plans may actually cover up to 90% of that cost. Of course, if you just want the fancy new suit to run around your neighborhood and lift things heavier than yourself, you'll probably end up paying full price.

(Source)

This article originally appeared on Tecca

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